Seahawks In Position For Camp

KIRKLAND - A position-by-position look at the Seahawks as they enter training camp.

Rookies report today and veterans report Friday:

OFFENSE QUARTERBACK

With Rick Mirer, John Friesz and Stan Gelbaugh, the Seahawks might have as solid a 1-2-3 combo as any team in the NFL.

After a ho-hum sophomore season in which he completed only 51.2 percent of his passes and threw 11 touchdowns before suffering a fractured thumb in Game 13, Mirer should blossom in Coach Dennis Erickson's offense.

Friesz is a strong-armed Idaho product who is a big upgrade over Dan McGwire. Gelbaugh is a solid vet who knows his role as a backup and is good enough to step in and win games.

Rookie Joe Pickens from Duke is likely to be just a camp arm.

RUNNING BACK

This is the final contract year for Chris Warren, last year's AFC rushing leader with 1,545 yards. It was his third straight 1,000-yard season and he also caught a career-high 41 passes.

Lamar Smith, driver of the vehicle in which Mike Frier was paralyzed, has flashed potential but remains a question mark.

Erickson got some big numbers out of Steve Broussard at WSU and signed him to a Hawk contract. The former Atlanta first-round pick hasn't put up big numbers in five years as a pro and a concern is the serious concussion he suffered last season.

Ex-Husky Beno Bryant keeps having hamstring problems. Free agents Kelvin Anderson of Southeast Missouri State and Anthony Shelman of Louisville are undrafted long shots.

FULLBACK

This is a solid position if Steve Smith recovers fully from offseason foot surgery, as expected. Tracy Johnson is a fine blocker but his hands remain suspect. Versatile Mack Strong can play running back or fullback. Rookie free agent Robert Baldwin put up some big numbers at Duke.

WIDE RECEIVER

A big question is Brian Blades' legal status and frame of mind because of the fatal shooting of his cousin.

Newcomer Ricky Proehl, who averaged 57 catches in four seasons in Arizona, should be more productive than the departed Kelvin Martin. First-round draftee Joey Galloway will add speed.

It's a make-or-break summer for Michael Bates and Terrence Warren. Bates contributed on special teams as a rookie in 1993 but hasn't proved he can play NFL receiver.

The Hawks feel so good about James McKnight, a 1994 free agent from Liberty University, that they signed him to a three-year contract in the offseason.

Ronnie Harris and Robb Thomas have NFL experience and Thomas is a good open-field tackler on special teams.

Sixth-round draftee Eddie Goines could turn out to be a steal but is coming off reconstructive knee surgery and may not contribute until next year.

Manley Woods is a free agent from New Mexico.

TIGHT END

Paul Green, who has soft hands, has bulked up to improve his blocking. Coaches hope second-round draftee Christian Fauria turns into the complete package of catcher and blocker. Carlester Crumpler was nothing special last year as a rookie but has tools.

Rookie free agent James McKeehan was undrafted out of Texas A&M. Trey Junkin is an emergency tight end who makes his living deep-snapping.

CENTER

Ironman Jim Sweeney, 33, a former Jet, replaces ironman Ray Donaldson, 37, now a Cowboy. He may be an upgrade. Joe Tofflemire has textbook blocking technique but limited experience.

Eventually, the Seahawks want to move Kevin Mawae from guard to center. Bryan Heath is a rookie free agent from Virginia.

GUARD

Mawae was drafted last year as a center but was a quality performer at guard. Jeff Blackshear struggled with his weight in preseason then struggled in midseason before improving. Blackshear will have to fight off James Atkins, who performed well in two starts at tackle last year.

Bill Hitchcock's arthritic back puts his football career in jeopardy.

Mike Kegarise suffered a season-ending knee injury in camp last summer as a rookie but was kept on the payroll. Matt Joyce was a defensive lineman in college who spent last year learning to play offense on the Dallas practice squad. Donald Willis is an undrafted ex-Husky with good feet and a big stomach. Kris Pollack is an undrafted free agent from USC.

TACKLE

Left tackle Ray Roberts is coming off surgery for a fractured leg and ligament damage but is supposed to be ready. Howard Ballard didn't play up to the level of his mega-bucks salary last year but should be more comfortable this season.

Mike Moody got some spring seasoning in the World League. How good is backup Mike Keim? Nobody knows. He got hurt last year when he was about to get his chance to start. Rich Baldinger is a 12-year vet who didn't play last season after being cut by New England. He was signed as insurance.

PLACE-KICKER

John Kasay took his strong leg to Carolina. Another ex-Georgia kicker, Todd Peterson, is the top candidate to replace him. Peterson appeared in two games for Arizona last year and won one of them with a 29-yard field goal in overtime. Rookie Judd Davis hit 14 of 16 field goals last year at Florida.

The Hawks are looking at available free agents and may sign one to increase the competition.

PUNTER

Reliable Pro Bowl punter Rick Tuten returns. Maybe this year the Hawks will take advantage of the fact he was a high-school quarterback and use his arm on a trick play.

DEFENSE END

This is a concern. Antonio Edwards looks like the best of the lot and started 14 games last season. Brent Williams, who didn't have a lot of big plays last year, will move to the left side to challenge pass-rusher Michael Sinclair. Sinclair has a history of injuries.

Michael McCrary has shown a pass-rushing knack but can get smothered against the run. Bobby Hamilton missed his rookie season with an injury but played in Europe this spring. Seventh-round draftee Keif Bryant showed promise in minicamps.

DeWayne Patterson is an undersized rookie pass-rusher from Washington State who terrorized Pac-10 QBs.

TACKLE

Erickson's plan is to unleash Cortez Kennedy and Sam Adams and allow them to penetrate and raise havoc rather than read-and-react. They could have banner years.

Steady Joe Nash returns for his 14th season and needs only seven games to break Steve Largent's franchise record of 200 games. Sixth-round rookie Henry McMillian of Florida could be a contributor. Ernest Allen is a 289-pound undrafted rookie from Cincinnati. Matt Werner got some late-season action last year as a rookie.

OUTSIDE LINEBACKER

Terry Wooden, one of the best linebackers never to get into the Pro Bowl, will patrol the left side. Ex-Raider Winston Moss inherits the right-side job vacated by Rufus Porter's departure to New Orleans and may be better against the run.

Capable backups are Bob Spitulski, Duane Bickett (if healthy) and David Brandon. Fourth-round draftee Jason Kyle should be good for a lot of special-teams tackles this year.

INSIDE LINEBACKER

Third-year pro Dean Wells gets his chance to start because Rod Stephens now is a Redskin. Ex-Redskin Tyronne Stowe will compete with Wells. Undrafted rookie Michael Barber of Clemson did some good things in mini-camp.

CORNERBACK

Is Nate Odomes 100 percent recovered from knee surgery? The Seahawks will find out soon enough. Another question is whether Carlton Gray can stay healthy for an entire season. Gray missed six games as a rookie and five last year.

A key backup is Corey Harris, a free agent acquired from Green Bay. He should get a lot of work as a nickel back.

Other reserves are Kirby Jackson, who missed last season with a knee injury, Orlando Watters, an undrafted longshot who made some big plays last year, and Tony Brown. Chad Wilson is an undrafted rookie who played for Erickson at Miami and Jerrick Bledsoe is an undrafted rookie from Texas Southern.

SAFETY

Free safety Eugene Robinson is coming off reconstructive Achilles tendon but looked healed in the final minicamp. Robert Blackmon returns at strong safety.

Tony Covington brings a reputaton as a lethal hitter from Tampa Bay.

Del Speer and Dion Lambert were final-week additions last season and Forey Duckett was signed one week earlier.

Rafael Robinson is back for a third season and Jay Bellamy returns for campaign No. 2.